Art of felting



Patented rev. 25,? 1930 uNlrsn sraras' cnsnms n. rsaxs, a 1-nn'nnoamconxncrrcu'r in Drawing. Application fi1ed April9-, 1925, serialno. 21,999. Renewed February 14, ma o.

Thislinvention relates to the art of felting and with re ard to its morespecific features, to the art 0% making felt such as is usedin themanufacture of felt hats. 6 One of the Objects of this 'nvention is to 7provide a simple and ractica art of making felt from'fur or the ike and,moreover, to

provide an art of this nature which may be readily and inexpensivelycarried on in ractice and in a manner that will avoi endangering thehealth of the workmen carrying on the art. Another object'is to providean art of felt manufacture which may be. carried on efiiciently and in amanner freefrom the defects and disadvantages charac* teristic offeltmanufacture as it has been carried on. for many years in the pastand in the courseof which fur treated with mercuric'nitrate hasbeenuniversally employed.

" Another. object of this invention is to provide an art of theabove-mentioned character which may be readily andinexpensively carriedintoflor incorporated. in the manufacture of felt hats. Otherobjectswill be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists, in the several'steps and-relationand order of each of the same to one or more of the others',-a-ll aswill be illustr'atively described herein, and

the scope of the 'a ,plication of which will be indicated. ntheollowi'ng claims. I As c h 5 ive to a' clearer understanding of thisinvention, it may at this point be..not-

' 'or similar fibrous animal products, as is carried onin themanufacture of'hats, for ex-'- rac'tice for -many "years in the past touse urwhich has been repared for feltin by a carroting' prpcesg.

ample, it has been the cury compoundan is hence poisonous; the carrotingorinitial treatment of. the fur to give it felting 7 properties involvesthe milling not only of this poisonous comed that in the manufacture of.felt from far the fur itself is im regnated with this merpound but alsoof the resultant treated fur,

and thus the health of the o eratives em- .ployed in this process isgreatl jeopardized. 'But in the subsequent processes through which thefur is placed, as in the felting pro-' cesses and the earlier steps inthe course of the manufacture of a hat body, this poisonous andmercury-bearing fur and resultant felt carries into these steps orprocesses the same mercury compoundand causesgreat injury, due tomercurial poison, to the'workmen employed. One of the dominant aims ofthis. invention is to provide an art of felt manufacture wherein su'chserious conse-.

quences and disadvantages as are, briefly pointed out hereinaboye-may beavoided and eliminated in a manner ,at once simple and inexpensive aswell as thoroughly practical.

In my Patent No. 1,507,892, dated September 9, 1924, I have disclosed anart-of treating-fur or similar material to give it feltingproperties'and in the course of'which art the fur fibers are treatedwith 'a solution in which is included an oxidizingagent, such ashydrogen peroxide, for example, and a cleansing agent, such as sodiumhydroxide, for ex- Y ample, and with'the resultant fur described in thesaid'jpatent and as a result of the process therein described I amenabled to produce a resultant felt of excellent qualities, thor-.

'oughly' practical and free from the defects whereby the operatives aresubjected to mercurial poisoning. I have discovered, however, that theelimination, of -mercurial poisoning, while at the same time attainingby continuing the'treatment'of the fur fibers fthoroughlypracticalresults, may be achieved in the course'of the felting operations with pa materialjcapable of a peculiar interaction with a simpler andlesexpensive carroting material than is disclosedin m above-men-'tionedpatent and in my Patent 0. 1,507,891.

Considering now certain features of my in- "vention, it might first bepointed out that the formation of ,felt-,from. fur or the like. is

achieved 'by the' action of the individual fibers in interlocking or.interfelting one a with anotheigbut' because the. natural furfiberscarry a certain grease, wax-orfiunmy 'substance and' other foreignmateri the latter taking part in this interlocking action. To

achieve a thoroughly practical felt these barbs or scales must be madeavailable to take part in the interlocking action, and hence the wax,which term will hereinafter be used to designate the substances ormaterials that appear naturally upon the surfaces of the individualfibers, must be either removed or so treated that it may be insubsequent operations or steps dissolved or washed out.

In accordance with my invention, I first form a solution with ahydroxide, preferably a hydroxide of an alkali metal and preferablysodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, the latter being readilyavailable commercially, and with water form such a solution that it willhave a strength of between 1? Baum and 10 ter results I have found aremore readily assured if the strength of the solution is within thelimits of 2 Baum to 7 Baum. With this solution I while it is still uponthe skin, as by brushing the solution to the fur fibers on the skin. Thefur is then dried, whereupon it is r'emoved from the skin. Theresultantfur fibers will .thus bear and carry a material or substance which isthe result droxide upon the wax on the fur fibers, and if such a fur, ashas already been in the prior art proposed, is subjected to the usualfelting steps or processes, it will be foundxto have merely a tendencyto interlock or felt but will be devoid of a felting or interlockingaction which will be characterized by the mechanical strength'andintegrity of structure necessary for it even to withstand succeedingsteps in the manufacture of a hat body, for example. Such a weaknesspracticable to work the so-called fabric up into its successive stagesin the course of the manufacture of the hat body and ultimate hat, andanother defect which such a fur has been found to have resides inv thefact that whatever tendencyto felt or interlock that it has is notuniform. This latter defectresultsin a fabric which is uneven and non--uniform both as to thickness and as to mechanlcal strength, and theselatter defects are emphasized as the hat body undergoes fur-Q thersucceeding steps.

The use of a hydroxide such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxidein the initial step of preparing the fur fibers for felting embodiescertain advantages,'some of which have hereinbefore been pointed out,and in accordance with my invention I make it possible to achieve theseadvantages while avoiding the defects just above'pointed out. The furfibers, thus carrying the product which results from the interaction ofthe hydroxide Baum, though bet-' treat the fur, preferably of the actionof the hymechanically makes it im-' bat or hat body further stepsuponthe wax, are thereupon formed into. a sheet or layer, as by blowing thefur fibers onto a perforated support, which support in the case of themanufacture of hat bodies is generally of conical shape. The resultingconically shaped ha't body is termed a bat and immediately after itsformation as above described I treat the bat, as by immersion orspraying, with water which has been acidified. Thus I treat it in thismanner with water to which an acid has been added in the proportion ofabout sixteen ounces of acid to three hundred gallons of water. Anysuitable acid may be employed.- I prefer in practice to employ ,formicacid. By Way of illustration, I may use acetic acid to bring about theacidification and, in certain instances depend ing upon the character ofthe fur, I may employ sulphuric acid.

The bator hat body is then wet down bat is kneaded, generally manually,while at the same time making frequent applications thereto of water atan, appropriate temperature. In accordance with my invention, how-'ever, I carry on the wetting down and hardening steps, in the course ofwhich the fibers maybe considered as being given an initial interlockingor interfelting, by making, during the steps, frequent applications ofa'solution having an acid reaction. This solution is preferably water towhich has been added an acid, preferably formic acid as above deand, inaccordance with my invention, I apand hardened, in the course of whichthe ply frequently to the hat body or batas the latter is kneaded a hotsolution having an acidic reaction; this solution is preferably water atan appropriate temperature to which -I have added an acid, preferablyformic acid,'as hereinbefore pointed out in connection with prior stepsof the felting operation, and the degree of acid employed during thesizing of the hat or hat body is substantially like that employed duringthe step 'of hardening; During the sizing, the

to the fact that the interlocking action of the is progressively shrunkdue fur fibers is made so complete that the resultant fabric is of greatmechanical strength and tightness.-' The felting of thefur fibers isthus substantially completed and the fabric or hat body is ready to besubjected to as in-the manufacture of felt hats.

The'action "of the acid in the above-described successive steps involvedin the feltmg appears to be one which, in the course of l 4 ration ofthe indivi ual fur fibers for e tive' and uniform interlockin thesesteps of feltin completes the pre aor interfelting action. The productcarrled'by the fur fibers and resulting from the interaction of thehydroxide with the wax on the fur fibers is an-impediment to achievinpractical felting, but the interactionof tfie acid solution or solutionscharacteristic of certain of the subsequent steps of felting inaccordance with my invention removes this impediinent, the acid in turninteracting, and, perhaps by V gradual neutralization of theabove-menalkaline, makes possible complete removal of this product orits reduction to a soluble state; thus the barbs or" tionedresultantproduct, probably largely e ultimate and scales, even ifonlypartially placed in conditionto be partially available in the courseofthe initial treatment of the fur fibers by hydroxide, are madeprogressively more available as the latter felting steps are carried on,and finally made completely available to bring about an ultimate feltcapable of meeting the requirements of practice. Thus it will be seenthat, by continuin the treatment of the fur fibers or the wax t iereonduring the felting operation, a thorough- 1yl efiicient interlockingmay'be achievedeven so t ough the initial step of treating the furfibers or the wax thereon, as by the hydroxide,

leaves the fur fibers in a condition of but imperfect felting roperties.

,While good resu ts may be achieved in applying the acidified solutiononly during one of the steps of felting treatment hereinbeforedescribed, thus to permit the substantial completion of the preparationof the fur fibers for felting, yet I refer to carry on the applicationof the acidified solution throughout each of the several steps ashereinbefore described in order thus to compensate for the rogressivediminution of the acid content in various parts all without departingfrom the scope'of the invention, it is to be understood that all matterherein set forth is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense. Y

I claim'- as my invention: 7 1. The herein described art of feltingwhich consists in treating fur or thelike with a solution of a hydroxideofan alkali metal adapted to react with the wax on the fibers thereofand. give the latter felting tendencies,

. drying the fur, forming a fabr1c out of the fur, felting the fibers ofthe fabric together,

andin treating the fibers of the fabric during together.

the felting operation with a solution having an acid reaction tocomplete thepreparation of the fibers for felting.

2. The herein described art of felting" which consists in treating furor the like with a solution of a hydroxide of an alkali metal adapted toreact with the wax on the fibers thereofito give the latter feltingtendencies,

drying: the fur, forming'a fabric-out of the fur, treating the fibers ofthe fabric with a solution ada ted to complete the pre aration of thefibers or felting, and felting t e fibers of the fabric together.

3. The herein described art of felting which consists in treating fur orthe like with a solution of a hydroxide of an alkali I metal adapted toreact with the wax on the fibers thereof to give the latter feltingtendencies, drying the fur, forming a fabric out of I a the fur,treating the fibers of the fabric with a solution having ,an acidicreaction and adapted to complete the preparation of the fibers forfelting, and feltingthefibers of.

- the fabric together..

4. The herein descrlbed art of feltin' which consistsin treatingfur orthe like wit a solution adapted toreact with the wax on the fibersthereof and to' partially reparethe fibers for felting, formlng afafiricout of the fibers thus treated, treating. the fabric withga solutionadapted to complete the preparation for felting of the fibers thereof,

5. The herein described art of eltin which consists in treating fur orthe like witn and felting the fibers of the fabric to ether.

an alkaline solution adapted toreact with'the wax on; the fibers thereofandto give the latter a felting tendency, formin a'fabric out of the furfibers thus treate treating the fibers of the fabric with a solutionhaving anacidic reaction to complete the preparation of the fibers forfelting, and felting the fibers of the fabric together.

6. The .herein described 3m off-felting which consists informing afabric out of fur 'or the like having upon the fibers; thereof a productresulting from the reaction of the natural wax thereon with an alkalinesolution which partially prepares the fibers for felting, treating thefabric with a solutionadapted to attack the product on the fibers.

thereof to improve the felting pro erties of thefibers, and felting thefibers of e fabric i 7." The herein described art 6f felting whichconsists in forming a fabric out of fur or the like having upon thefibers thereof a product resulting from the reaction of the naturalwaxthereon with an alkaline solution which partially prepares the fibersfor felting, and felting the fibers of the fabric together while appying thereto an acidsolution adapted to attack the product carried bythe fibers to improve the felting properties of the fibers.

I product resulting from the reaction with the 8. The hereindescribedart of felting which consistsiin forming a fabric out of fur or the likehaving upon the fibers thereof a natural wax thereon of an alkalinesolution which partially prepares the fibers for felting, treating thefabric with an aqueous solution of formic acid to improve the feltingcapacit of the fibers, and felting the fibers of the fabric together.

9. The herein described art of felting which consists in forming a butout of fur or the like having upon the fibers thereof a productresulting from the reaction with the natural wax thereon of an alkalinesolution which partially prepares the fibers for felting, treating thebat with a solution havin an acid reaction and adapted to react Wit theproduct on the fibers to improve the felting properties of the fibers,hardening the bat, and thereupon shrinking the bat to comv plete theinterfelting of the fibers thereof.

10. The herein described art of felting which consists in forming a batout of fur.

or the like having upon the fibers thereof a product resulting from thereaction with the natural wax thereon of an alkaline solution whichpartially prepares the fibers for felting, hardening the resultant batwhile apply-- ing thereto a solution having an acid reaction and adaptedto react with the product on the fibers to improve the feltingproperties of the fibers, and sizing the bat.

11. The herein described art of felting which consists in forming a batout of fur or the like'having upon the fibers thereof a productresulting from the reactionwith the natural wax thereon of an alkalinesolution which partially prepares the fibers for felting, hardening thebat, and shrinking the hardened bat while applying thereto a so1utionadapted to react with the fproduct on the fibers thereof to improve thelting properties of the fibers.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name, to this specification this4th day of April, 1925. r CHARLES D. PARKS.

